AN

yes this is still alive, as of the night of July 5 I made some major changes, please reread those three chapters before continuing.

It was the Tuesday after I met Astrid. In the school it was day three, in our six-day cycle, that means that fourth period I had gym, I hate gym, I never really do much actual exercise, some of my classmates did, I did not. I just read my book. It's a pass or fail class and all anyone needs to do to pass is show up and be in gym appropriate close, I only wear sweets, so all I need to do is show up. So I go there and I read, one time last year the teacher asked why I always read, to which I respond; everyone else is talking to their friends, I didn't have friends I had books. They never bothered me about it again.

So it was time for gym, I already stashed my backpack in my normal locker so I wouldn't have to go into the locker room. My backpack contained the spellbook. So I just walked into the gym reading book in hand. I sat down against a wall to read before class actually starts and they expect me to actually do things.

After two or so pages, for me, a page is a valid measurement of time. I notice someone sitting next to me, without closing my novel, I turned to see who it was. It was Astrid but at that time I could not place who she was or how I knew her, "Hello," she said. Okay, so she knows me, now from where!? My ability to recognize people in places I don't expect them to be, is virtually nonexistent.

Then it hit me! She's the bookkeeper that always draws on Epona's stall! "uh Hi, your name's Astrid, right?" I respond.

"I would hope so..." she replied. I guess I got it right. The exchange seemed to be over so I turned back to my book, and she poked me. It appeared that she would not go away so I marked my page and closed the book with a sigh.

"What is it, Astrid?"

She waved her hands, that were still stained with sharpie, and said: "I didn't do anything!"

I rolled my eyes and opened my book again. Just to be poked once more. I responded by giving her a death glare. She responded by poking me between my eyes and quietly saying the word "boop."

My death glare intensified.

"Aren't we partners in crime?" she laughed nervously.

"We have a truce in the battle for the throne of a different dimension," I said monotone, I really wanted to go back to my book.

"Well aren't you a whole bunch of sunshine and rainbows..." Astrid replied. I shrugged in response and looked down at my book. "What'cha' reading?" she asked.

I sighed, looks like she's not going away so I decided to give her my attention, I showed her the cover of the book, "The book is called Hawkmistress, it's a novel in the Darkover series, you probably never heard of it."

"What's it about," she asked with what seemed to be genuine curiosity. I smiled, and at that moment she got me, I love talking about the books I was reading, even if the person I'm talking to, doesn't quite understand what I am saying; or even care.

"It's about this girl who ran away from home, disguised as a boy, to escape an arranged marriage, taking with her only a horse and her hawk, Preciosa, she got taken into a traveling army to help tend to the sentry birds. And now, after traveling with them for quite some time it is discovered that she's a girl. "

"Wait! this book has a horse and a hawk! I love horses!" she gasped in delight. I shook my head at her cute childish ways.

At this point, it was time for attendance so the teacher called our names. They called the name Alexa, and I begrudgingly responded "here," this confused Astrid, I told her we'd talk after class. The school had large gym classes so there are always two units going on, a competitive actual team sport thing, and a more relaxed, calmer activity like going to the weight room, or like at yoga, which is what it was at that moment. I always go to the non-competitive option, for I am not a competitive person, nor do I like actually doing things in gym, Astrid, on the other hand, as I would soon found out, is a Very competitive person, so she chose the other option, I forget what it was, mainly because I didn't care.

After class, there was a ten minute gap so people could change out of their gym close, during that time we were not allowed to go out of the immediate area of the gym so we wouldn't disturb the other classes. That was fine with me, my locker was neer my next class. So these ten minutes was just more reading time, or at least it would have been if it wasn't for Astrid.

Eventually, she emerged from the locker room, she walked right up to me. "Alexa," she questioned. I marked my page and looked up Astrid, took a deep breath before nervously starting my response, "my name's Alex, not Alexa, I'm a transman," I looked away afraid of her reaction. Lucky the bell rang, allowing me to head to my next class with finding out her response. Unfortunately for me the not knowing eat me up inside until Thursday when I would see her again.

That was my first real experience of Astrid, to at first my annoyance and later to my delight, it was not the last, not by a long shot.

That day after school when I got home I found my mom moved the twins up watercolors to acrylic paint. Those two have taken a liking to art which is a good thing because my mom was an art teacher that is not afraid of a little mess. "So..." I announced as found them " Astrid goes to my school and is in my gym class."

"Which means that she lives nearby" Azoth started.

"So we need to be careful." The other completed.

"I think Astrid, at least, not so sure about Luna, wants to be my friend, I guess the best thing would be to see if I can befriend her and turn this truce into an alliance," I sated.

"so what are we painting?" I asked looking over to what the twins were working on.

Before one of them could respond, my mom shut them down. "you won't know until you finish all your homework, you know you have to do that right after school before your ADHD meds wear off and you can't focus."

I pouted before making some black tea to help me focus as I opened up my backpack to start my work.